Worship and Wisdom: Daily Readings from Psalms and Proverbs with Commentary

By G. Wright Doyle

These meditations will help you ponder the beauty of God's Word and grow in worship and wisdom. The inspired prayers of Psalms range through the entire gamut of human emotions: faith and doubt; elation and sorrow; hope and despair; confidence and terror; love and hate. We read magnificent paeans of praise, and howling wails of complaint. With utter honesty, they allow us to express our hearts to the LORD, knowing that he hears us. With a growing crescendo, they point us back to God who cares for his people. Through them, we learn how to worship. The Book of Proverbs contains wise sayings from David's son Solomon and others. On the surface, it seems to focus on this life and how to live it well. Here we learn about sex, money, and power; the proper use of the tongue, relating well to others, and the path to success. From the opening chapter to the end, however, one theme dominates: If we want to be wise, we need to fear and to love God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Torchflame Books
• Release date: Jul 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781611531701

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Preface

Countless multitudes have derived joy, peace, and strength from meditating upon the words of the Psalms. Believers throughout the ages have found the Proverbs to be a never-ending source of practical wisdom.

The writer of this book of daily devotionals has for three decades made it a practice to read five Psalms and one chapter of Proverbs almost every day. These meditations represent some of the results of that habit. They appeared first as devotional messages distributed by email and have been printed in response to many kind suggestions.

You may use this book however you like, of course. To maintain a balance, perhaps you should read one passage from the Worship section one day, then a passage from the Wisdom section the next day.

Read slowly! You will gain more if you meditate first on the passage of Scripture and then consult the commentary.

Pray before and after you read, asking God to speak His Words into your soul and your life. You may want to take advantage of the generous margins to write down notes and reactions, thus making your own commentary!

If you wish to study either the Psalms or the Proverbs further, you may consult the Introduction and Notes to these two books in the New American Standard Study Bible; the commentaries by Derek Kidner in the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series (Eerdmans); David Dickson’s commentary on the Psalms, and Charles Bridges’ commentary on Proverbs - both in the Geneva series (Banner of Truth).

May God grant you light and life as you ponder the priceless treasure of His Word!

Many thanks go to Omelia Chan, Joshua Yang, Martha Stockment, Elizabeth Clark, Scott Gwynn, and Kathy Arab for formatting and proofreading these pages.

Worship

Psalm 1:2—What Is Your Delight?

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.

This description of the man who is truly blessed confronts me with a stark contrast: We delight in what our senses perceive, but he has fixed his attention on something else. I delight in cool weather, a lovely sunrise, melodious music, tasty food, feminine beauty, friendly conversation, and human love. All good, to be sure, as all come from a gracious God.

But to delight in the Law, or teaching, of the LORD? And, delighting, to meditate in it day and night? To daydream about God’s Word and then to dream about it, even? To ponder God’s requirements and shrink before His threats? To marvel at the sheer beauty of the Bible’s literary form and rejoice in its truth content? To rely upon His promises? Even more, to draw close by faith to the God who reveals Himself through the words of the prophets and apostles?

Do I do that? Not enough.

Draw me closer, Lord. Fill me with me delight in Your Word and focus my thoughts upon it – and You – day and night. For then alone shall I be truly happy.

Psalm 2:12b—Blessed Trust

"Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him."

Psalm 1 tells us that the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful is blessed. He prospers in all he does and will receive his reward from God.

The problem is that we do NOT obey God at all times! We offend Him constantly, rebelling against Him in thought, word, and deed.

Knowing this, the Holy Spirit inspired the writer of Psalm 2 and directed the editors of the Psalms to place it right after the description of the righteous man.

Here we have the way of faith, not of obedience, as the road to blessing. God has sent His Son to be our Savior from His own wrath. Although most people despise Christ and seek to be free of His control, all those who love and trust Him will find favor with God.

The man of faith is blessed because salvation belongs to the LORD (3:8). God hears his prayer and puts gladness in his heart (4:3,7). He defends him and surrounds him as with a shield, filling him with great joy (5:11-12).

Today may we rely fully on Jesus, the Son of God!

Psalm 5:1-3—Morning Meditation

"Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up."

As a shepherd, David must have risen early every morning. Later, as king of Israel, he continued that practice. Each day brought so many tasks, and he faced so many enemies, that he started out by having an honest conversation with God.

He knew he was speaking to his faithful Creator, Yahweh (LORD in the English translation), who would keep His promises. He bowed before the sovereignty of his divine King and looked to Him for help. He faced his foes with the knowledge that God takes no pleasure in wickedness; evil men will not stand His presence, for He will destroy those who speak falsehood,… the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

David knew that he, too, had sinned. So, he entered God’s presence in the multitude of [His] mercy with an attitude of reverent worship. He asked for leading into righteousness, for protection from his crafty foes, for joy in the Lord Himself. He closed his prayer with a confident affirmation that God would bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.

God called David a man after My own heart. Was it partly because this brilliant, capable man began each day by coming to his Lord with prayer and praise? Did David become the greatest king of Israel, and the most widely read poet of all time, by devoting his first and best hours to God? Perhaps we should imitate his example and let God hear our voice in the morning!

Psalm 5:7—Abundant Mercy

But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy [loving-kindness].

How can we come into God’s presence?

He is King and God (2). He takes no pleasure in wickedness, and no evil will dwell with Him (4). In fact, He hates all workers of iniquity and will destroy those who speak falsehood (5,6).

But we have done wrong and are evil. We have been guilty of boasting, which God loathes (5). We have spoken lies; we have hurt others with our tongues (9). How can sinners like us stand before the holy King of the universe?

Only because of His love, which comes to us as mercy. As our sins are many, so His forgiveness knows no end. All those who trust in Jesus Christ have a faithful High Priest who died for us and prays for us. Through Him, we can come boldly to God’s throne and find it to be the throne of grace where we obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

O God, lead us by your abundant mercy to Your throne of grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Psalm 6:1—Gentle Rebuke

O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled; but You, O LORD – how long?

We all fall into sin. When we do, we need to learn from David that:

God will rebuke and discipline us for our sins. Actions have consequences. God is not mocked. We reap what we sow. Although Jesus has died for the sins of those who believe in Him, God the Father will discipline all His children, so that we may share His holiness.

We can still come to God in prayer. Conscious of his guilt, David yet turned to God in humble prayer. He appealed to God’s faithful love four times in these three verses by calling on God’s covenant name, Yahweh (translated as LORD). This is the God who proclaimed Himself to be merciful, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

We can, therefore, ask for mercy. We can beg God to rebuke us gently, not in His hot and holy anger against our sin, as we deserve, but with an eye to our weakness. If we repent, He does not deal with us according to our sins. We shall surely suffer pain as a consequence of wrongdoing, but we can ask for a lenient sentence from our heavenly Judge.

We must resolve to separate ourselves from evil, as David did when he said, Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity (8). Relying on God’s strength, we must wage ruthless warfare against all that would lead us away from obedience to God.

We must trust in God to hear our prayer, as David did. Now we can get up, go on, and hasten to do God’s will for us, because the blood of His Son Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 9:7-8—God’s Judgment

But the LORD shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment. He shall judge the world in righteousness, and He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.

Today’s scripture brings both comfort and challenge:

Comfort, because we know that God is righteous and will judge the nations for their wickedness. The news is filled with revelations of corrupt and evil leaders all over the world. We don’t have to lose heart, however, for God will judge them. He may punish them even in their own lifetime; he will surely punish them after they die.

This truth challenges us, too: Are WE ready to stand before the judgment seat of God? Only if we repent of our wrongdoing, ask God for forgiveness, and trust in His son, Jesus Christ, shall we escape the wrath of God upon all who have disobeyed Him.

May we all humbly come before His throne today and receive His mercy!

Psalm 9:16-17—Crime Does Not Pay

The LORD is known by the judgment He executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands... The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

We break laws because we think we won’t get caught. If we don’t see a policeman, we exceed the speed limit or even run a red light. We don’t pay our taxes. We falsify documents. We cheat on exams. We lie to the government, our boss, our teacher, and our spouse.

Perhaps we escape judgment for a while. This gives us boldness to do it again. We see how many prosper while doing wrong, and we imagine that no one sees or cares. We are wrong.

God sees and He cares. He will not overlook our wrongdoing. Sooner or later, He will repay us.

If He is being kind with us, He will allow us to suffer sooner rather than later. He will send illness or strife or failure or even the police. We will get caught. Then, we can see our sin, repent, and receive God’s forgiveness--if not man’s.

If we refuse to acknowledge our guilt and to turn from our wickedness, a terrible fate awaits us: eternal punishment in hell.

Now is the time to seek His face by humble admission of our guilt and sincere faith in His Son Jesus, who died on the cross in our place. Through Him we find forgiveness and the power to change.

Psalm 9:17—Impending Doom

The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

This awful truth finds repeated expression in the Bible. Proverbs 2:22 puts it this way: The wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it. Jesus Himself warned often of the terrors of hell for those who do not worship God and receive His Son.

How should we respond?

We can begin by thanking God that He will punish all the oppressors who bring such misery to this earth. When Christ returns, He will judge the nations and their leaders, rewarding those who have done good and punishing all who have done evil.

But then we need to ask: How shall I face a holy God when He rises to judge the world? That should drive us to admit our wrongs, ask forgiveness, and place all our hope in Jesus, our only Mediator. For there is none righteous, no not one. We escape punishment only by receiving God’s mercy in Christ.

Finally, love for others should impel us to warn them of impending doom unless they repent and believe in Christ. A desire to spread the Good News about Christ should dominate every hour of our day.

Psalm 10:1, 12, 14—When God Seems Distant

Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do you hide in times of trouble?... Arise, O LORD! O God, lift up Your hand! Do not forget the humble… But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief… The helpless commits [leaves, entrusts] himself to You.

Sometimes God seems far away, hidden, even asleep.

When we watch loved ones suffer the fearful onslaught of cancer;

When we read of oppression, cruelty, torture;

When heavy burdens weigh upon our weary shoulders;

When bad habits and besetting sins won’t go away;

When we struggle with loneliness and isolation;

When the way seems too long, too hard, and too steep –

Then we wonder, where is God ? Does He not see? Does He not care?

Yes, He knows. He sees. He cares. As when He allowed the bondage of the Israelites in Egypt to go on and on, and as when Jesus waited several days after He heard that Lazarus was ill before He went to Bethany, so now He has a purpose for His silence and apparent inactivity.

Perhaps He means to turn our eyes away from this transitory world and toward our eternal hope.

Perhaps He wants us to search out the root cause of our sinful actions.

Perhaps He desires to show Himself the only true Friend.

Perhaps He plans to rescue us from the jaws of death and demonstrate His mighty power through a miracle.

Or maybe He intends us to enter into the sufferings of His Son Jesus, that we might more fully know Him.

Whatever the cause, God will, in His time, arise. He does not forget the humble; He has seen our trouble and grief. He will act with power and with love. We can commit ourselves to Him, for He cares for us.

Psalm 13:5—God’s Love

But I have trusted in Your mercy [loving-kindness]; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

As we begin another day filled with challenges, we can trust in God’s love for us. This love comes to us as mercy, because we don’t deserve it. God freely, unconditionally, and faithfully loves us.

He forgives our sins, welcomes us into close fellowship, and promises to provide all that we need until He takes us home to be with Himself forever.

All this comes to us because of Jesus, His Son, who died for sinners, rose again, and sits at God’s right hand, praying for us.

Thus, we can rejoice in God’s salvation – past, present, and future.

So, no matter what happens, let us say with David, I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me (13:6).

Psalm 13:5-6—Trusting in God’s Mercy

But I have trusted in Your mercy [love]; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Surrounded by enemies, David wonders why God is taking so long to help him. He cries out for deliverance.

Then he says, BUT – even though I do not now see God; even though my enemies press against me and threaten me with death – NEVERTHELESS, I have trusted.

David had faith in God’s unchanging love for him, despite his difficult circumstances. Thus, he knew that one day his heart would rejoice over God’s salvation. As a result, he said, I will sing.

We, too, can trust in God’s mercy, which comes to us in Jesus Christ, even when times are hard. Faith will bring true joy to replace worry and sorrow. And joy will issue in songs of praise to God.

Psalm 13:6—Why Sing?

I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

David began this song with a complaint: How long, O LORD? How long will you hide Your face from me; leave me to rely on my own thoughts; allow my enemy to triumph over me (1-2)?

Then he prayed for deliverance, trusting in God’s mercy (3-5). As soon as he did that, he found joy in God’s salvation (5).

Are you burdened with a sense of sin, failure, and defeat? Are you pressed down with the cares of the world, your work, your finances, and your family?

Then trust in God’s love and mercy. Once we do, we find that He has, indeed, dealt generously with us.

He has forgiven our sins, bestowed upon us His Holy Spirit, and placed us into His church, the body of believers in Christ. He has assured us of a bright future with Him in a new heaven and a new earth. He has provided guidance and strength sufficient for each day, along with all the material resources that we need.

O God, give us grace to see the abundant love which You have showered upon us in Your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Psalm 14:2—True Understanding

The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

In this age of information, we all seek to know. We read, watch TV, search the internet, perform experiments, and take classes. We want the latest, most up-to-date, most useful knowledge available.

But do we UNDERSTAND?

Do we discern the underlying principles behind the mass of information? Do we know how to apply what we have discovered?

In our quest for knowledge, how often do we seek to know God? How much do we yearn to understand Him and His will for us?

God is looking for people who call upon Him in fear and faith. To such persons, He will grant wisdom and understanding. Those who seek the LORD understand all things, declares the writer of Proverbs. Paul clarifies the matter further by telling us that in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).

O God, in our pursuit of knowledge and information, may we first of all seek You, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Psalm 14:3b—Not One Who Does Good

There is none who does good, no, not one.

We have to face reality. No one measures up to God’s righteous standard. He insists upon clean hands and a pure heart; who can boast of either of these?

He promises to rain coals, fire and brimstone, and a burning wind on the wicked, and WE are the wicked! That’s the bad news, which the Apostle Paul repeats when he quotes this verse and others like it in his letter to the Romans.

But the Good News is that we can be justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood through faith... (Romans 3:24-25).

As we begin a new day, let us face both sides of reality: We are far worse than we imagined, and have no power to change ourselves; God has loved sinners far more than they can imagine, and will consider as righteous all who trust in Christ alone for their righteousness.

Psalm 15:1, 4—Promise